Microsoft details specs for Windows 8 tablets, shows off hardware

Windows 8's shiny new touch interface won't just be coming to Intel-compatible …

Not long after showing off the new Windows 8 touch interface at the D9 conference, Microsoft gave another demo at Computex in Taipei. Where the D9 demo had been about the software, and used regular Intel processors, the focus at Computex was on the hardware: Windows 8 was running on a range of system-on-chip (SoC) designs, including those with ARM processors.

Prototypes from three ARM partners, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and NVIDIA, in conjunction with system builders Wistron, Foxconn, and Quanta, were shown off. The Qualcomm and TI devices were both tablets, the NVIDIA device a conventional clamshell laptop. An AMD Llano-powered laptop was also on display, as was an Intel-powered system. The ARM units all billed as development devices rather than anything that will reach the market, but show that the software is running on ARM-powered machines, and looks identical to its x86 counterpart.

The company also disclosed some of the hardware constraints that Windows 8 tablets will have to follow. To get the new interface, tablets will have to offer a resolution of at least 1024x768. Anything lower and they will be stuck with a derivative of the classic Windows 7 shell. Increasing the resolution from the 4:3 1024x768 to the 16:9 1366x768 will additionally enable the "snap" side-by-side multitasking view that was demonstrated.

Mention was also made of boot performance; UEFI systems with SSDs were described as being able to fully boot, from cold shutdown to the Start screen, in under six seconds. Wake from sleep will be instant.

Microsoft also talked a little about the ARM version's compatibility with Windows. ARM Windows won't include an x86 emulator, and as such will not be able to run existing Windows programs. It is, however, the same operating system with the same APIs, meaning that it should be possible to recompile existing software and device drivers for ARM Windows with few difficulties. The same applications should, therefore, become available on both platforms, as should access to the same hardware.

With Windows 8, Microsoft is paying far more attention to the hardware, and providing far more guidance to hardware manufacturers. For example, the company has recommendations for how large to make the bezels on tablet computers to ensure that they're comfortable to hold. Combined with restrictions on the number of devices that can be brought to market, the message seems clear: Microsoft would rather have a smaller number of best-of-breed devices than the same kind of free-for-all as exists in the world of conventional PCs.

70 Reader Comments

This new strategy of tight hardware restrictions is relatively unproven, right? And WP7 used that strategy and it isn't working out well so far. I'm not sure this middle road between aapl's hw ownership and goog's openness is going to work out. They're running low on partners as it is, this strategy restricts them further. As with WP7, I imagine they will end up with a few quality devices that no one markets and no one buys because everyone makes more money with Android. Sure, it will ship on desktops and laptops for businesses, but that won't win the new mobile markets.

It's baffling they don't just buy nokia or rim or contract their own hw like xbox. It's the only workable strategy as long as android fills the bottom end.

How many good partners do you need? I don't think they will have any shortage of tablet builders. I do think it is better to a have a few high quality choices than a free for all. Asus/Samsung and a couple of others and they have what they need.

Also why buy Nokia, they are getting what they really need for a pittance and they don't have to get any approvals for the purchase. Nokia is pretty much committed to WP7 now, they have pretty much burned their bridges at this point. Nokia will give a multi-year full scale effort on WP7 for a pittance. If WP7 fails utterly for Nokia then WP7 fails utterly. They really wouldn't get one more iota of benefit by purchasing Nokia.

Edit: Now that I read more about the strategy it does seem bizarre. One partner for chip maker??? That seems like it is a scheme to make more ARM panels stand out and stop them from being lost in a sea of Intel Tablets. Intel can only partner with one HW partner??

Personally I am excited by what MS are doing in this field. Ever since Apple brought out the iPhone I've been waiting for them to merge iOS and OSX and deliver it as a single portable user experience where it could be used as a tablet or when the occasion requires as a desktop with keyboard and mouse and be able to run existing applications. It looks like MS may be ahead here unless Apple have something going on in its skunkworks.

If it is successful, we may be seeing history repeat itself - remember windows 3.2 and what that did to Apple.

Windows 7 ShellTablet UITablet UI with "snap" side-by-sideNow the question is, how to you present that accurately and succinctly to a new buyer? Start spewing resolution, or screen ratios and there eyes will glaze over, call the feature by something they don't recognize and they won't understand due to ignorance. Sell them something that doesn't have a feature they expected and they'll become resentful.

Those will be different devices, it's not like you'll have the same tablet with 2-3 variants... they'll have different price points, name, etc. No need to talk about specs, they'll just be devices with different features. Kind of like comparing a civic to an accord.

I think tablet makers just won't bother to come out with the low-resolution Windows 7-only variants. (They may decide it's not worth it, and put another tablet OS on it, leaving customers who really just want Windows 7 to install it themselves.) So it may be that customer confusion will not be a big issue.

Dumbest UI move since Gnome 3. Why would I ever need giant buttons when a mouse can move on a per pixel basis? Stop wasting space, bring back classic menus loaded with NEW FUNCTIONALITY, and I may consider Windows 8. If not... Windows 7 forever.

How many good partners do you need? I don't think they will have any shortage of tablet builders. I do think it is better to a have a few high quality choices than a free for all. Asus/Samsung and a couple of others and they have what they need.

Let's discuss what Windows computing is right now. It's crap. It's the GM of computing. People buy this brand to save money. Period. So they need to fill the low end, and this hobbles them from that.

Despite all their marketing dollars and supposed marketing geniuses at MS (really, they have a huge marketing division) they're psychotically obsessed with putting their low end brand 'Windows' on everything. Imagine if GM didn't have a Cadillac badge and sold luxury cars as Chevrolets. That's Microsoft right now. They need the free for all or they don't have anything at all. That's what's really wrong with WP7: it's a Cadillac device and price with a Kia brand. Computing for consumers isn't just about getting stuff done. It's about all the other things that consumers worry about: price, brand, status, simplicity, reputation, reliability.

Many people will talk about Windows history, dos compatibility, how apple has always failed with more focused, intregrated designs. Forget it. That's ancient history. Everyone has 3 computing devices now, and many have more. The market is about focus and niche appeal. Every Porsche owner has a second vehicle, every ipad owner has a regular PC. MS has failed to understand the post-pc world.

Let's discuss what Windows computing is right now. It's crap. It's the GM of computing. People buy this brand to save money. Period. So they need to fill the low end, and this hobbles them from that.

Despite all their marketing dollars and supposed marketing geniuses at MS (really, they have a huge marketing division) they're psychotically obsessed with putting their low end brand 'Windows' on everything. Imagine if GM didn't have a Cadillac badge and sold luxury cars as Chevrolets. That's Microsoft right now. They need the free for all or they don't have anything at all. That's what's really wrong with WP7: it's a Cadillac device and price with a Kia brand. Computing for consumers isn't just about getting stuff done. It's about all the other things that consumers worry about: price, brand, status, simplicity, reputation, reliability.

Many people will talk about Windows history, dos compatibility, how apple has always failed with more focused, intregrated designs. Forget it. That's ancient history. Everyone has 3 computing devices now, and many have more. The market is about focus and niche appeal. Every Porsche owner has a second vehicle, every ipad owner has a regular PC. MS has failed to understand the post-pc world.

Windows 8 is the Cadillac Cimmaron of computing.

Just curious...what is your ferrari of computing? you are not going to try to sell iOS or android as ferrari, or are you? if you are going to try to sell OSX, don't bother!

Let's discuss what Windows computing is right now. It's crap. It's the GM of computing. People buy this brand to save money. Period. So they need to fill the low end, and this hobbles them from that.

Many people will talk about Windows history, dos compatibility, how apple has always failed with more focused, intregrated designs. Forget it. That's ancient history. Everyone has 3 computing devices now, and many have more. The market is about focus and niche appeal. Every Porsche owner has a second vehicle, every ipad owner has a regular PC. MS has failed to understand the post-pc world.

Windows 8 is the Cadillac Cimmaron of computing.

As my edit above indicates, I now think this may be an attempt to give WinARM machines a chance. Since there will be more ARM chip makers than x86 chip makers and in the game of musical chairs, there is only 1 chair per chip maker, that means only a small group of manufacturers get to sit down and there will be more partners producing ARM machines than x86 machines. The opposite of what would happen if you just let people build what they want.

I am surprised Intel isn't complaining more about this, being limited to only one partner.

I assume that windows PC's and tradional laptops are still the wild west... the waters get a little murky when you start to talk about convertibles and other tablet's that aren't technically tablets...

I guess a laptop that can get rid of its keyboard is still a laptop, and a slate that can add a keyboard is still a keyboard...

Windows 7 ShellTablet UITablet UI with "snap" side-by-sideNow the question is, how to you present that accurately and succinctly to a new buyer? Start spewing resolution, or screen ratios and there eyes will glaze over, call the feature by something they don't recognize and they won't understand due to ignorance. Sell them something that doesn't have a feature they expected and they'll become resentful.

Easily: Widescreen, or Not Widescreen.

And I suspect the latter will be rare (probably limited to the very smallest of devices, where people are likely to willingly trade off the slightly limited functionality for reduced size).

The no-tablet-UI for <1024*768 can be effectively ignored, as no one is going to be selling new machines with a screen that small. It's just a minimum requirement for a Win8 tablet device (and one that any modern machine of just about any variety is going to hit anyway...).

So that leaves it as only a factor for people upgrading old machines. Who probably don't have a tiny screen like that anyway (unless they're trying to shoehorn it onto an old netbook for some insane reason, although there are probably other hardware requirements that those wouldn't fulfil anyway), and either way, presumably know what the hell they're doing to at least some extent (they wouldn't be upgrading the OS if they didn't).

Just curious...what is your ferrari of computing? you are not going to try to sell iOS or android as ferrari, or are you? if you are going to try to sell OSX, don't bother!

No, my point is about brands not literal performance. Computing doesn't have an aspirational lifestyle brand on the scale of Ferrari yet (exotic, geeky, exclusive luxury) - apple is closer to Honda (everyday performance, simplicity and reliability). Ferrari is known for performance, but they're nothing special that way, kind of like Alienware PCs, they perform better than most but there's always something faster (Bugatti to Ferrari, etc.). Both brands are more for males overcompensating than for any useful reason to spend money. Like you must have noticed that custom PCs=monster trucks, both are male-centric ego trips.

So geeks are infatuated with RAM, chip speed and hdd size, etc. I walked through Best Buy yesterday and this was on my mind, because compared to the apple section, the windows laptops were frankly horrible. I know they can't have the metal unibody whatever design of the macbook air (patented iirc), but they haven't always been that clunky, thick and plasticky. Sony used to do better. My work thinkpad is better. It had actual build quality. I was shocked, because I need a new laptop and I'm not used to paying apple prices. I'm sure the specs must be good, but PCs are completely price driven, look horrible, feel horrible, no wonder apple is gaining share. It's like GM small cars compared to Toyota small cars once upon a time. Of course I'd rather hold an ipad, I'm not a masochist.

And yes, the thinkpads and Vaios (one decent one was there iirc) or other lenovos sold at other stores would probably be better. It's quite likely that Best Buy has shuffled their offerings as a response either to customer preference (if you're not buying apple, you don't care how it looks and feels) or because they can sell more high margins accessories and services on cheaper PCs. Only Best Buy's purchasing manager really knows.

Yay! Microsoft are taking a crappy phone interface an putting it on a PC.....

I speak with experience with all smartphone interfaces when I say not only is Windows Phone 7 not a crappy interface, it's the best interface on the market.

The fact that you've used many interfaces doesn't really make your personal preference any more valid or factual than someone else's. Personally, I think Windows Phone 7 is irritating to use and beyond ugly. It just depends on individual taste.

Yes, but it is as good an answer as the post to which it refers. . . which is just as invalid. Had he said that, Personally, he thinks it's a crappy interface and sticking it on a PC, that would be as valid as yours as it said was an opinion. The respondent responded in kind.

Personally, I very much like WP7 and find it a refreshing change from the "row upon row of chicklets" paradigm that has been around since Palm. Making the phone a shell as opposed to a container is, to my mind, a great breakthrough.

Personally, I very much like WP7 and find it a refreshing change from the "row upon row of chicklets" paradigm that has been around since Palm. Making the phone a shell as opposed to a container is, to my mind, a great breakthrough.

"shell as opposed to a container" doesn't parse for me. Can you explain?

Physically, a shell *is* a container. In tech jargon the two terms are generally in different categories. Your statement reads similar to this: "Making the phone a toad as opposed to a peanut is..."

In addition, doesn't WP7 just use larger "chicklets?"(I haven't used WP7 so this is not rhetoric, but a serious question.)

In addition, doesn't WP7 just use larger "chicklets?"(I haven't used WP7 so this is not rhetoric, but a serious question.)

Not exactly. They are tiled, but they are active tiles that can retrieve all kinds of information from the app it represents. So instead of having to open a weather app to see the weather, the tile could give you the basics on the fly.

In addition, doesn't WP7 just use larger "chicklets?"(I haven't used WP7 so this is not rhetoric, but a serious question.)

Not exactly. They are tiled, but they are active tiles that can retrieve all kinds of information from the app it represents. So instead of having to open a weather app to see the weather, the tile could give you the basics on the fly.

The same functionality is available in windows 7 with gadgets or Android with widgets, except when I have an application that I don't need to take up half the screen and doesn't need to inform me of anything say erm all of content creation I can just have an icon.

In addition, doesn't WP7 just use larger "chicklets?"(I haven't used WP7 so this is not rhetoric, but a serious question.)

Not exactly. They are tiled, but they are active tiles that can retrieve all kinds of information from the app it represents. So instead of having to open a weather app to see the weather, the tile could give you the basics on the fly.

The same functionality is available in windows 7 with gadgets or Android with widgets, except when I have an application that I don't need to take up half the screen and doesn't need to inform me of anything say erm all of content creation I can just have an icon.

How is the tile better again?

Because the tile is the app. You don't have to set up a separate widget, it's always just there. As such, it becomes vastly easier to grab and sort that information, because there is no disconnect between the information on the tile and application itself, like there can be with separate widgets.

And what on earth do you mean by taking up half the screen? WP7 tiles take up 1/8 of the screen, or occasionally 1/4 of the screen if you use one of the double-size ones like the calendar. That's really not different than Android's widgets, which in the case of the weather one, really can take up half the screen (At least, it did when I had an Evo).

Because the tile is the app. You don't have to set up a separate widget, it's always just there. As such, it becomes vastly easier to grab and sort that information, because there is no disconnect between the information on the tile and application itself, like there can be with separate widgets.

Meaningless distinction. Windows desktop widgets can be similar reporting mechanisms for bigger apps, and use the same information so there is no disconnect. Some widgets are the app and just report information, with nothing to disconnect from.

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And what on earth do you mean by taking up half the screen? WP7 tiles take up 1/8 of the screen, or occasionally 1/4 of the screen if you use one of the double-size ones like the calendar. That's really not different than Android's widgets, which in the case of the weather one, really can take up half the screen (At least, it did when I had an Evo).

You might have some leg to stand on for Phones, but for the desktop Tiles looks like something from the 1980s. Flat 2d, non overlapping boxes. On the desktop we are comparing:

Meaningless distinction. Windows desktop widgets can be similar reporting mechanisms for bigger apps, and use the same information so there is no disconnect. Some widgets are the app and just report information, with nothing to disconnect from.

Fewer than 1% of all Windows users use desktop widgets. 100% of all Windows Phone users use tiles. That, right there, should tell you how meaningful the difference is. It's not about technical capability, it's about exposing that functionality in a way that everyone uses it.

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You might have some leg to stand on for Phones, but for the desktop Tiles looks like something from the 1980s. Flat 2d, non overlapping boxes. On the desktop we are comparing:

Well of course I'm talking about phones. There is literally no point in talking about a UI that is still an alpha that no one here has actually had their hands on, from the perspective of usability. Until then, all we can discuss is where the UI actually is accessible, which is the phone.

Fewer than 1% of all Windows users use desktop widgets. 100% of all Windows Phone users use tiles. That, right there, should tell you how meaningful the difference is. It's not about technical capability, it's about exposing that functionality in a way that everyone uses it.

So when given a choice most people don't care about Tile like update functionality. It is just that there is no choice for Windows Phone users. But I do note that Windows Phone is hardly burning up the market. The latest comscore numbers show Microsoft losing smartphone market share again...

The same vocal minority that insisted that WP7 was a clear winner, seem to think it is a great idea for desktop as well. But the wider market hardly seems that interested.

So when given a choice most people don't care about Tile like update functionality.

Wow, understanding fail. Most people don't know it exists. That was the major failure of desktop widgets for Windows.

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The same vocal minority that insisted that WP7 was a clear winner, seem to think it is a great idea for desktop as well. But the wider market hardly seems that interested.

I'm still reserving judgement on the tile interface on a desktop, but WP7 has almost universally been lauded. Every person I've ever shown it to have been really impressed, but unfortunately, too many of them still associate it with the mess that was Windows Mobile before WP7. Microsoft, in this case, is suffering from lack of awareness for their phone. That said, Microsoft has demonstrated their ability to remain in a new market (and in this case, I am thinking of the post-iPhone smartphone market as a new market, as it was that much of a game-changer) until they get it right. Look at the XBox 360. Successful product with an excellent online platform. But it took the bumps and issues of the first XBox for them to be able to make that hit happen.

Wow, understanding fail. Most people don't know it exists. That was the major failure of desktop widgets for Windows.

You know this how? If this was some world changing feature, it would have grown by word of mouth.

I am aware of widgets, installed a couple then realized that on a desktop they are pointless. I have a clock on taskbar already, I run planner SW in the background that triggers when there are events I need to pay attention to, everything else, I check when I am interested in it. I don't need a launch screen with weather/tweets/email counts. I am not walking down the street and pulling it of my pocket to instantly check for updates before dropping it back in my pocket. These are mainly useful for mobile.

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But it took the bumps and issues of the first XBox for them to be able to make that hit happen.

It also took a series of screwups by Sony in a market with very few players. PS3 launched later, more expensive, and is more difficult to program.

There are no similar issues in the mobile market where the competitors have the bases all covered. The smartphone market looks more like computers in 80's, but Android is in the Microsoft drivers seat, with open licensing and the largest feature/price/OEM coverage, seems unstoppable. RIM/Apple are vertically integrated like 1980's Apple are holding the balance. Microsoft is like IBM pushing OS/2, a decent OS, but really can't make a dent with all the bases covered. Even worse Android is free and MS is trying to make money just selling an OS. Buying Nokias favor moved them from flat lined, to on life support, but they are a long way from crawling up from single digit market share.

But that right there is the point of a live tile. If the application can offer you a bit of useful info before you open it, then you have a bit more flexibility with regards to what you do with it. Instead of opening the app and then looking for what you thought to look for, you could see that the info you needed was already on the tile and not open it. Alternately, it could give you actionable information, like the mail notification icon that Outlook already does when the app is running. Imagine the mail tile letting you know when there's new mail. Some prefer not to keep Outlook open all day, and that gives them a bit more flexibility around doing just that. The tile has then become instantly more useful than a widget and an icon, because it does both functions without the loss of functionality of either. Granted, there are lots of apps that never will need to use what a tile brings. I'm not saying the idea of live tiles works for all things. I'm just saying that when they're relevant, they make a lot of sense. I'm not even talking about Microsoft's version of live tiles, I just am talking about them as a design paradigm. Apple or Google could also decide to use live tiles (instead of just notification icons) as part of a major update, if they wanted.

As for your market penetration comment, I'm not disagreeing as a whole, though I do think you give Android a bit too much credit. The interface is still a mess, and it's the hardest smartphone to use, without a skin on it. Granted, I like HTC's Sense, but not everyone has that. I think in the long run, unless Google does some serious UI work, Android is going to end up relegated to the "openness above all" people. Plus, Nokia is still the largest handset maker in the world, even with their market issues. That potentially puts Microsoft in a commanding position between that and the Mango update to WP7 for 2012. I don't know if either company will successfully leverage that fact, but the possibility is certainly there.

though I do think you give Android a bit too much credit. The interface is still a mess, and it's the hardest smartphone to use, without a skin on it. Granted, I like HTC's Sense, but not everyone has that. I think in the long run, unless Google does some serious UI work, Android is going to end up relegated to the "openness above all" people.

I think you are giving Android too little credit. They have certainly grown way past the "open above all" crowd and I doubt most people see the interface as that bad with the amount of growth it is having. I mentioned the Comscore numbers:

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Google 31.2% 36.4% 5.2 Microsoft 8.0% 6.7% -1.3

Google gained almost as much in one quarter, as MS whole remaining share. MS has to stop shrinking before we can talk about them having a commanding position.

^^ I am taking that into account. The question is whether or not Android can sustain those advances. My contention is that there are a lot of people that bought into Android based on word of mouth that will move to a new phone when their contract is up. I think it's going to make for a hell of a fight in early 2012, as many of the Android 2.0+ 2-year contracts expire, and Mango and iOS 5.x is out.

I stand a decent chance of being wrong, I don't dispute that at all, I'm just putting out what my perspective is.